Response from Home Again Used Furniture Etc Inc
We appreciate the review and welcome all feedback and the opportunity to address the rare complaints we receive. We know it is mostly through negative feedback that a company is allowed to consider what works and what doesn't work and can allow us to address a problem. We always take feedback as an opportunity to review and possibly change something. Yes, it is our company policy not to accept credit cards over the phone (security reasons, fraud, identity theft, etc.) or out of state checks (many states will not cross a state line to collect on a bad check). On occasion this may be waived, but only if we know the person with whom we are doing business. Gone are the days when a company can call a bank and even verify funds. Privacy laws prohibit obtaining any of that kind of information. This leaves a company very vulnerable with regards to checks. Our company policy, posted in several places, is to protect both us and our customers. I am not sure what the customer bases her comments on when saying we were not responsive, not punctual, and not professional. We were certainly very responsive. Punctuality was not applicable, unless we speak of how it relates to responsiveness. I have reviewed the 12 emails that were sent back and forth between Tresa and Home Again and they were all - except the very last one - answered in a more than timely fashion, often just minutes after being sent. The last email Tresa sent was somehow missed. When I happened upon it after returning from our 16-day holiday closing, I immediately replied to her and apologized for missing it. Obviously, this should not have been the basis upon which her experience was based, especially since it was merely a comment not requiring a response. In reviewing the emails from her, I see that she first asked us to take a large reduction on a like-new, good quality piece of furniture that we had only been on the floor a few days. Again, company policy is involved here, as it is our normal procedure not to give discounts on items such as these – like-new condition, just put out on the floor. After an item has been on the floor a reasonable amount of time, we often consider offers. Tresa’s emails reflected her obvious distaste for this policy too. Regarding the customer’s out of state check, she said she had a local contact so I suggested having that person write the payment on her behalf and then she could then reimburse him. This suggestion was immediately rebuffed. On several fronts she pressed very hard to get things exactly as she desired and as she found reasonable. I suspect this point has more to do with her dissatisfaction with our company than whether we were actually responsive, professional, or punctual. I have emails that show the time line of our responsiveness and professionalism. And, as I said, punctuality is not applicable. We strive to make all of our customers happy and our excellent reputation is as a result of this. We do know, however, that there are some people who will not be made happy no matter what. We still do the best we can. We were fair and respectful and considerate with her in all encounters.